Portable safe for valuables.



. H. W. WOODRUFF.

PORTABLE SAFE FOB. VALUABLES.

APLIUATION FILED 0013.23, 1909.

Patented July 26, 1910.

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Y PORTABLE SAFE POR VALUABLES.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 23, 1909. 965,495, Patented July 26, 1910.

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HORACE W. WOODRUFF, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

PORTABLE SAFE FOR VALUABLES.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 26, 1910.

Application filed October 23, 1909. Serial No. 524,182.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE W. W'ooDuUrr, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented an lmproved Portable Safe for Valuables, of which the following is a full and exact description.

The invention is an improvement in that class of portable safes provided for use of banks, express companies, and others having occasion to ship money, bonds, jewelry, and other valuables.

The construction, combination, and operation of the parts embodying the invention are as hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which :h

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved safe, in closed position. Fig. 2 is a horizontal, longitudinal section of-.th-e same. Fig. 3 is a vertical, transverse section. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are plan views of the lock mechanism, showing parts in different positions, illustrating different operations of the same. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the dial or graduated and numbered disk which operates the terminals. Fig. 8 is a detail section, illustrating the arrangement of the safety stop. Fig. 9 is a plan view' of the seal.

The body of the safe is preferably rectangular and oblong, and is constructed of two telescopic parts, A, B, each preferably ma de of heavy sheet metal and nickel-plated for ornamental effect. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the casing or box C containing the lock mechanism proper is screwed to the under side of the top of part A, which is open at the bottom to receive part B, which, contrariwise, is open at t-he top. The outer part A has a side opening and the inner part B has a corresponding opening in one side which is closed by a glass plate D-see Figs. 1 and 3. A rotatable dial, or numb-ered and Graduated disk, 1 is arranged flush in a circuar opening in the top of part A. The aforesaid dial 1 has a central pendent hub or stem see Figs. 3 and 7-and a surrounding, substantially annular part 6, which is provided with a lug 7 and a peripheral notch S. The lug engages another lug on the tumbler 2, and thus serves as the medium for transmitting rotary movement from the dial to tumbler 2, which is in practice provided with a semicircular lug for engaging the lug of tumbler 3, and so throughout the series. The notch 8 of ring 6 receives the nose 10of the tumbler-dog 11, when the tumblers are assembled in due registration for opening the safe.

The slidable bolt 12 is beveled like a door latch and normally projects through the casing or box C, so as to enter a slot 13 of the inner body part B, of the safe-see Fig. 3. A lug or thickened part 14 is located adjacent to this slot to reinforce the thin metal. To break this locking engagement and open the safe by allowing sliding separation of the body parts A, B, the bolt 12 is retracted or slid back to the position shown in Fig. 5. The bolt is bifurcated, one lug 12a being slotted to receive a lug 15 and secured by a pin 16. The other lug 12b is shorter, and to it is pivoted the s ringpressed tumbler-dog or detent 11. piral springs 17 are arranged to hold the bolt normally projected. The nose 10 of the dog rides on the peripheries of the circular tumblers 2, 3, 4, and is adapted to enter the notches 18 of the same when they are brought into registration in a well known manner.

The safety-stop 19 is a short bar slidable between xed lugs 2O that serve as guides and also to limit its movement. It has a lug or pin 21 on its back that projects through a slot 22 in the under side of the lock-casing-see Figs. 2 and 8. A spring 23 holds the stop 19 normally projected toward the tumblers and into the path of the dog 11, as shown in Fig. 4.

A -device 24 is provided for supporting the stop 19 against its spring 28, and thus in the retracted position shown in Fig. 6. It is a curved or hook-like bar, pivoted at one end, and its other end is provided with a claw or shoulder 25 to hold the stop 19 retracted. The lower claw may arrest the stop 19 when projected into the path of the dog- 11, but the adjacent fixed lugs 20 may subserve this purpose. The main or important purpose of the lower claw 26 is to serve as a point of contact for the dog 11 in the tripping operation to be presently described. A spring 27 holds the stop-support 24 normally projected toward, and engaged with, the stop 19. A thin, flat metal plate 2S covers the stop and its support and aids in holding them in place.

In preparing the safe for inclosure and shipment of valuables, its parts A, B, are

separated, and the lock prepared for auto-.f

made of linen, cotton, or any other suitable flexible material, and has a broad body portion 29 and a tail portion 30. 1t is inscribed to indicate the amount of money to be inclosed in the safe, also with the names of consignor and consignee, and the location of the lattere-see Fig. 9. The signa ture of the consignor is made by himself, and thus serves to identify the package the same as the signature of a check, draft, or

other like paper identifies it and certifies to its genuineness. The tail 30 of the lacing device is then inserted through the slot 31 in the dial 1, and the slot 32 in top of part A, thus forming a loop, as shown m Fig. 3,

which is .fastened at 33 by a rivet, eyelet, or other means. The lacing obviously prevents the dial 1. from being rotated to unlock the combination, and will remain effective for this purpose until cut or ruptured. The money or other article being then placed in part B, the latter is inserted in part A, and in this operation, the bevf eled end of the bolt 12 engages the side of part A and the bolt is thereby forced inward or slid back, as shown in the part B is fully inserted, the bolt will project into slot 13 of the part B, as shown in Fig. 3. When the bolt is thus retracted,

it carries the head of the dog 11 in front of the stop 19 and against the claw or point 26 of hook 24, and thus pushes the latter back out of engagement with the stop 19, so that the latter instantly springs forward behind the dog as it recedes with the proj ected bolt, and thereby practically engages the dog and locks the bolt, as shown in Fig. 4.

By the construction and combination of parts described, 1 produce a portable safe or shipping receptacle for valuable material which fulfils all requirements of safety, convenient inspection and identification of its contents, by the shipper or consignor, and in transfer from one express company or carrier to another, and upon reception by the consignee. 1n fact, the latter identifies the signature on the lacing or seal as if on a check or draft, before receipting for the package. To open the latter and obtain access to the contents, the lacing or seal is broken, and the dial 1 rotated according to the number scheme to bring the notches of the tumblers into coincidence, when the nose 10 of dog 11 falls into said notches and also j Fig. 5, and when the corresponding notch 8 in the dial ring 6, whereupon the head of dog passes out of range of stop 19 and allows the bolt 12 to be retracted by rotation of the tumblers by means of the dial.

The stop and its pivoted support and their attachments constitute the subject of a divisional application, Serial No. 536,646, filed January 6, 1910.

What 1 claim is z- Y j 1. An improved portable safe comprising a receptacle having a movable portion for permitting introduction and removal of articles, mechanism for locking such movable portion, a rotatable member adapted to be manipulated on the exterior of the safe for operating the said locking mechanism, and a sealing device which ties said rotatable member to the body of the safe and is inclosed in the latter when in use, substantially as described.

2. An improved portable safe comprising a receptacle having a movable portion permitting access to its interior, mechanism for locking such portion, the rotatable operating member of such mechanism and the body of the receptacle 4being provided with slots for the reception of a sealing device, the same being inserted through the slots and its ends projecting within the receptacle and adapted for being fastened together, whereby the sealing device prevents premature operation of the rotatable member, substantially as described.

3, 1n aV portable safe of the class indicated, the combination with the separable parts constituting the body of the same, of

locking mechanism including a rotatable member which 1s accessible on the exterior of the safe, and a sealing device passingV through such member and an adjacent portion of the body of the safe, its ends projecting within the safe and adapted for being fastened together, substantially as described.

4f. A portable safe of the class indicated,

comprising a receptacle formed of separable Y parts having a transparent side, locking mechanism and a rotatable member for operating the same which is arranged in the top of one of the separable parts, both said member and part being provided with slots, and a sealing device consisting of flexible material which is passed through said slots, its ends being pendent within the body of the safe and one of them formed as an inscribing surface which is visible through the transparent side of the safe, substantially as described. Y

HORACE 1V. VOODBUFF.

lVitnesses:

SoLoN C. KEMON, AMos W. HART. 

